Folding, cutting, and delivering mechanism



March 28; 1950 4 H. BARBER FOLDING, cu'm'mc, AND DELIVERING uncmusu 4Sheet s-Shee t 1 Original Filed Feb. 7, 1945 INVENTOR.

H. M. BARBER FOLDING, CUTTING, AND DELIVERING Original Filed Feb. 7,1945 March 28, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 @INVENTOR. w Mad- March 28; 1950 H.M. BARBER mwmc, cu'r'rmc, AND DELIVERING wscumxsu Original Filed Feb. 7,1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 March 28, 1950 H. M. BARBER FOLDING, comm, ANDDELIVERING MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Original Filed Feb. 7, 1945section of the same.

Patented Mar. 28, 1950 FOLDING, CUTTING, AND DELIVERING MECHANISMHoward'M. Barber, Pawcatuck, Conn, assignor to O. B. CottreiI a SonsCompany, Westerly, R. 1., a corporation of Delaware Original applicationFebruary 7, 1945, Serial No. 576,564. Divided and this application March15, 1946, Serial No. 654,756

2 Qlaims. (am-87 -One object of'my invention is to provide novel meansfor cutting associated and longitudinally folded webs each cycle of thecutting means into an odd number of signatures and means for deliveringthe signatures to a corresponding odd number of different points, as,.for instance, traveling endless tape carriers.

Another object is to provide means for mate rially reducing the speed oftravel of the signatures so that each signature will not interfere withthe leading edge of its next succeeding signa-- ture, and for improvingthe signature handling conditions at the several points of delivery.

Another object is to provide a traveling side guide for the signaturesas they are conveyed by their respective endless tape carrier deliveries;with the folded edges of the signatures disposed a parallel to thedirection of travel of the carriers; .said traveling side guides beingdriven at the speed of the endless tape carriers and serving to overcomethe tendency of the signatures to slide sideways oil the tape carriers.

A practical embodiment of my invention is iilustrated in theaccompanying drawings in connection with means for cutting threesignatures from the associated and folded webs each cycle 1 of thecutting means and delivering the signavJ tures under reduced speed totheir respective first, second and third endless delivery carriers.

Fig. 1 represents a side view in diagram of the web' associating,folding, cutting and signature delivery mechanisms.

folding webs into three signatures each cycle of the cutting means andthe means for delivering the signatures to three different points areshown as comprising the following elements. The pair of coacting rotarycutters are denoted by 8, 8. the first and second transfer cylinders byI 0, II, the first, second and third delivery cylinders by I2, I3, I4and their respective endless tape carriers byI5,I6andI1.

The associated and folded webs, the rotary cutters 8, 9 and the transfercylinders III, II are all driven at the same surface speed and the Fig.2 represents an end view in diagram of the I web associating andfoldingmechanism. Fig. 3 represents a detail plan view showin two firstsignature deliveries in diagram.

Figs. 4 and 4a represent a detail vertical section of the cutting anddelivery mechanism on an' enlarged scale taken inside the near sideframe.

Figs. 5 and 5a represent a detail vertical central Figs. 6 and 6arepresent a detail vertical section showing the geared connection fordriving the cutting and delivery mechanism and including a portion ofthe means for driving the traveling endless tape carriers and theirtraveling side guides.

While I have shown a mechanism which is capable of simultaneouslyhandling two sets of narrow webs the mechanism and its operation will bedescribed in connection with one only of these two sets of webs. I

The mechanism for associating and folding the narrow webs is shown ascomprising a pair of three delivery cylinders I2, I3, I4 are all drivenat a slower surface speed, in the present instance about six-tenths thatof the associated and folded webs, the rotary cutters and the transfercylinders.

The sequence of operation is such that the first signature cut from theassociated and folded webs during one cycle of the rotary cutters isdelivered to the first endless tape carrier IS; the second signature cutduring the same cycle of the rotary cutters is delivered to the secondendless tape carrier I6, and the third signature cut during the samecycle of the rotary cutters is delivered to the third endless tapecarrier'I'I, the cutting of the three signatures completing the cycle ofthe rotary cutters.

The driving connection between the rotary cutters, the transfercylinders and the delivery cylinders is such that two successive groupsof three signatures are delivered during one cycle of the deliverycylinders and two cycles of the gear 23 on the shaft of the secondtransfer cylinder II; the coacting gears 24, 25 on the shafts of thefirst transfer cylinder I0 and second delivery cylinder I5; and thecoacting gears 26, 21 on the shafts of the second transfer cylinder IIand third delivery cylinder I4.

It will be understood that the three delivery cylinders are driven at aconsiderably lesser surface speed than that of the rotary cutters. Thisis shown as being accomplished as follows. The three delivery cylindershave a materially greater diameter than that of the rotary cutters andthe ratio between the gears is as follows. ratio between the coactinggears I8, I9 is one to one; between the gears 29, 2| is one to two;between the gears I9 and 22 is one to two; between the gears 22 and 23is two to one; between the gears 24 and 25 is one to one; and'betweenthe gears 26 and 21 is one to two.

The devices on the rotary cutters and various cylinders which operate tocut and deliver the signatures will now be described. 7

The rotary cutter 8 is shown as provided with a knife box 28 and twoknives 29, It equally spaced apart around the periphery of the cutter,and also one set of cam operated impaling pins II located at the knifeblock 28 to engage the first signature. A fixed cam 32 is located inposition to withdraw these pins 3i to permit the first signature to betransferred from the rotary cutter 8 to the delivery cylinder I2.

The rotary cutter 9 is shown as provided with a knife 33 and two knifeboxes 34, 35 equally spaced apart around the periphery of the cutter,and two sets of cam op'erated impaling pins 36. 81 located at the knifeboxes 34, 35. A fixed cam 88 is located in position to withdraw theseimpaling pins 35, 31 to permit the second and third signatures to betransferred from the rotary cutter 9 to the first transfer cylinder I0.

The first transfer cylinder I is shown as twice the diameter of therotary cutters 8, 9 and it is provided with four sets of cam operatedimpaling pins 39, 49 and H, 42 spaced apart around.

the peripher of the transfer cylinder as follows. The impaling pins 40are spaced one-sixth of the periphery-from the impaling pins 39; theimpaling pins H are spaced two-sixths of the periphery from the impalingpins 40; the impaling pins 42 are spaced one-sixth of the periphery fromthe impaling pins 4|; and the impaling pins 99 are spaced two-sixths ofthe periphery from the impaling pins 42. A fixed cam 43 is located atone end of the first transfer cylinder in position to withdraw impalingpins 42 to transfer the second signature to the second, deliverycylinder I3 during the first cycle of the rotary cutters and theimpaling pins 49 during the second cycle of the rotary cutters. A secondfixed cam 44 is located at the other end of the first transfer cylinderin position to withdraw impaling pins 4| to transfer the third signaturefrom the first transfer cylinder III to the second transfer cylinder IIduring the first cycle of the rotary cutters 8, 9 and the impaling pins39 during the second cycle of the rotary cutters.

The second transfer cylinder II is shown as one-half the size of thefirst transfer cylinder l0 and as provided with one set of cam operated4 impaling pins 45 on its periphery. A fixed cam 45 is located inposition to withdraw the impaling pins 45 to permit the transfer of thethird signature from the second transfer cylinder to the third deliverycylinder I4.

The first delivery cylinder I2 is shown as provided with two grippers41, 48 equally spaced apart around its periphery. A fixed cam 49 islocated in position to operate the grippers 41 to take the firstsignature in the first cycle of the rotary cutters from the rotarycutter 8 and the grippers 48 to take the first signature in the a secondcycle of the rotary cutters and to deposit The the succeeding firstsignatures onto the endless tape carrier II.

The second delivery cylinder I8 is shown as similarly provided with twogrippers 50, 5| equally spaced apart around its periphery. A fixed cam52 is located in position to operate the grippers 5|! to take the secondsignature from the first transfer cylinder during the first cycle of therotary cutters 8, 9 and to operate the grippers ii to take thesecondsignature from the first transfer cylinder I0 during the second cycle ofthe said rotary cutters.

The third delivery cylinder I4 is shown as similarly provided with twogrippers 53, 54 equally spaced apart around its periphery. A fixed cam55 is provided for operating the grippers 53 during the first cycle ofthe rotary cutters 8, 9 to take the third signature from the secondtransfer cylinder II and the grippers 54 for taking the third signaturefrom the second transfer cylinder II during the second cycle of therotary cutters-8, 9 and to deposit the signatures on the third endlessdelivery carrier I1.

Three stops 55, 51, 58 are provided for the signatures as they aredeposited onto their respective endless tape carriers I5, I6, I1 by thesignature delivery cylinders I2, I3, I4.

Stationary vertically disposed guide plates 59, 60, 5| are providedalong the endless tape carriers I5, I5, I1 at the signature deliverycylinders I2, I3, I4 on-the folded edge side of the signatures as theyare deposited onto their respective endless tape carriers.

Because of the tendency of the signatures to move sideways off theendless tape carriers where the folded edges of the signatures areparallel with the travel of the endless tape carriers and the signaturesarenarrow, traveling endless belts 62, 53, 84 are provided along thesides of the endless tape carriers opposite the stationary guide plates59, 80, 6|.

Means are provided for driving these guide belts and endless tapecarriers at the same slow speed, said means comprising the followingelements. Crank pins 65, 65, 61 on the shafts of the signature deliverycylinders I2, I3, I4 are connected by links 58, 59, 10 to the rock armsH, 12, 13 of one-way clutches 14, 15, 16 on the cross shafts 11, 18, 19on which the pulleys 80, BI, 82 of the endless tape carriers aremounted. These cross shafts 11, 18, 19 drive through pairs of connectinggears 83, 84, 85, 86, 81, 88, the vertical shafts 89, 90, 9I which carrythe belt driving pulleys 92, 93, 94.

The means for associating and folding the traveling webs shown anddescribed but not claimed herein form the subject matter of my copendingapplication filed February '1, 1945, Serial No. 576,564 of which thisapplication is a division.

It is evident that various changes may be resorted to in theconstruction, form and arrangement of the several parts withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of my invention, and hence I do notintend to be limited to the particular embodiment herein shown anddescribed, but what I claim is:

1. Means for delivering associated and folded signatures, including anendless tape carrier, a delivery cylinder for depositing the foldedsignatures thereon with their folded line parallel to the travel of thetapes, a stationary vertically disposed guide plate located along oneside of the tape carrier at the delivery cylinder on the folded edgeside of the signatures, an endless belt extending along the oppositeside of the tape carrier parallel thereto and acting as a traveling sideguide for the open edge side of the said folded signatures forovercoming the tendency of the signatures to slide sideways off theirtape carrier, and means for driving both the belt and tape carrier atthe same speed.

2. Means for delivering associated and folded signatures, including anendless tape carrier, a delivery cylinder for depositing the foldedsignatures thereon with their folded line parallel to the travel of thetapes, a stationary vertically disposed guide plate located along oneside of the tape carrier at the delivery cylinder on the folded edgeside of the signatures, an endless belt extending along the oppositeside of the tape carrier parallel thereto and acting as a traveling sideguide for the open edge side of the said folded signatures forovercoming the tendency of the signatures to slide sideways off theirtape carrier, and means'operated by the delivery cylinder for drivingboth the belt and tape carrier at the same speed.

HOWARD M. BARBER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the

